


Cheetos and Mountain Dew

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-06
Updated: 2007-08-06
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:03:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "Did I mention that you have the most adorable bed head?"





	Cheetos and Mountain Dew

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

“Leo? Leopold? Honey, are you awake?”

She shook him gently and Leo woke with a start. He sat straight up, looking around the room as if he had no idea where he was. Then he looked at his wife.

“CJ? Are you alright baby? What's the matter?”

“I'm hungry.”

“Huh? What time is it?” he asked.

It was Saturday, clearly Sunday by now, and the McGarrys took the day off from the White House. They slept in, went out to breakfast, and spent the afternoon shopping. CJ McGarry was a marathon shopper. She was six and a half months pregnant, so baby things were on her mind. This was the second pregnancy of the McGarry marriage and though CJ could not help but ooh and aah over baby things, she bought nothing. 

She had a late term miscarriage with their first child and though her current pregnancy passed that point, she did not want to jinx anything. The antique crib that Jed and Abbey bought for their first child still sat in the room that would be the nursery. It was undecorated, unpainted, and CJ would keep it that way until after the baby was born. Leo shared her apprehensions as well as her excitement. He was going to be a father again and every night he said a prayer for a healthy, happy baby and an end to his wife’s fears.

“I don’t know. It’s late though.”

Leo looked over her and saw it was 1:52am. All he could do was groan. This was the first night in too many to count that the White House Chief of Staff was able to relax, eat properly, and fall asleep at a decent hour. He even had dreams of staying asleep. With his wife in his arms, he did not think it would be a problem. It would not be the first time he was wrong.

“You're hungry baby? What are you hungry for?”

“I don’t know.”

“OK Claude, I don’t mean to be difficult but you shook me awake at two in the morning to tell me you're hungry but you don’t know what you're hungry for?”

“Yes.” She pouted a bit and Leo could not help but love her madly. “I'm sorry, but I am. I'm craving something. Did I mention that you have the most adorable bed head?”

Leo laughed, trying to flatten his thinning hair back onto his head.

“I will get you whatever you need.” He kissed her softly. “Just tell me what it is.”

“Well I could definitely eat some Cheetos. Strawberry Mentos sound good, Mountain Dew…maybe chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.”

“We don’t have any of that stuff in the kitchen. Maybe Mountain Dew but nothing else.”

“The 7-11 is only a few blocks from here.”

“7-11?” he shouted the question, groaning once again. “Its 2 in the morning; after 2 soon.”

“The Walgreen’s is closer. Take my car if you want. I'm hungry Leo…your child is hungry.”

Leo was not going to argue with her because he would lose. Still, it seemed improbable that she could be hungry. They had lunch out after a day of walking through hundreds of stores yet buying very little. Then at home, she munched on popcorn while watching The Third Man. It was dinner with her friend Mike Kerrigan at DC Coast followed by a little snack before bedtime. The McGarrys made love and fell asleep. He was not asleep anymore. Leo did not know if he would be asleep again tonight. He reached over, turned on the lamp, and squinted as he got out of bed.

“OK Cheetos, Mountain Dew…”

“Strawberry Mentos.” They said in unison.

“And chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.” CJ finished. “If they have it.”

“Of course.”

Leo undressed, taking off his pajamas and putting on sweatpants and a tee shirt. He sat in the chair to put on his socks and sneakers.

“I love you so much. Do you know that?”

Leo smiled. He looked at her, relaxing on the pillows in the bed they shared. Her knees up, her whole body glowing with the life of their child.

“I do know that. The feeling is so mutual.”

He stood, going over to the bed and leaning over for a soft kiss. He went to move away but CJ pulled him back.

“Baby…baby, if you don’t stop that I'm not going to be able to leave this room.”

CJ laughed, letting him go.

“Do not get the mixed fruit Mentos Leo, only strawberry.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Buckle your seatbelt when you are driving and be careful in my car.”

“I will.”

“And hurry home.”

“Definitely.”

Leo went downstairs and was almost out of the door when he realized he didn’t have any money. He went back to his bedroom to grab two $20 bills and his driver’s license out of his wallet. The Secret Service agents, George Carroll and Steve Parker, seemed surprised to see the Chief of Staff going out for a ride at this hour of the night. One had an eight month old daughter…he knew exactly what kind of run this was.

In the car, Leo found Boston on the radio and sang along to More Than a Feeling as he drove the five and a half blocks to the 24 hour Walgreen’s. He parked in the lot and went inside. My God, did it really need to be this bright? There had to be 100 fluorescent bulbs glowing on the ceiling. A band that was bad 15 years ago and still was, played over the PA system. Leo tried to drown it out as he made his way to the food aisle with his basket.

He grabbed Cheetos, a six-pack of Mountain Dew and a bag of Three Musketeers minis for good measure. They did not have chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream but he knew CJ loved cookies and cream. A slightly inebriated college coed came over to the ice cream freezer, grabbing a pint of light vanilla. Leo cringed at both the choice and the smell coming from her. She stumbled away singing a little too loudly. Great, now he was never going to get the damn song out of his head.

At the register, the young man smiled as he rang him out. He smiled even more when Leo threw four boxes of Strawberry Mentos onto the counter.

“Sugar high sir?”

“They're for my wife. Give me a pack of Marlboro Lights please.”

“Yes sir.”

The constant beep of that machine as it rang up his items nearly drove Leo insane.

“$25.70 please.”

Leo waited for his change and then headed out to the car. Many of the local bars had just thrown out the revelers; the streets were crowded and it was Saturday. Starting the ignition of CJ’s prized baby blue Mustang and hearing the music of the Steve Miller Band, Leo said a small prayer that he would make it back safely to his wife. It did not take long to pull back into his driveway. Steve was smoking a cigarette.

“Goodnight Steve. Goodnight George.”

“Goodnight Mr. McGarry.”

He walked back to the kitchen first, putting five sodas in the fridge, hiding the cigarettes in the crisper drawer, and the ice cream in the freezer. Everything else was going upstairs to the bedroom. There he found CJ sound asleep, curled up on his pillow. Leo just shook his head and smiled. He didn’t bother with a whole lot of to-do. He took off his socks, sneakers, and tee shirt before crawling back between the sheets. CJ stirred, opened her eyes for a brief moment and settled in Leo’s arms as he turned off the lamp.

“I guess you don’t want the Cheetos now, huh?”

“Mmm mmm. I love you.”

Leo kissed her forehead, softly stroking her stomach.

“I love you too Claudia Jean. Sweet dreams.”

***


End file.
